By Guy F. Smith
November 20, 2006

Martin O’Malley, 43, Baltimore’s mayor since 2000, was elected Governor of Maryland November 7, defeating incumbent Republican Governor Robert Ehrlich. He garnered 875,352 votes to Ehrlich’s 757,099 and won by a 53 to 46 percent margin.

O’Malley is co-chair of the Conference of Mayors Homeland Security Task Force and also a member of the Conference’s Advisory Board.

Before becoming mayor, O’Malley was a Baltimore city council member from 1992 to 2000. A Maryland native, O’Malley received his law degree from The University of Maryland.

When asked why voters should elect him, O’Malley responded: “I will fight to rexpand Maryland’s middle class and strengthen communities through responsive, accountable government and by standing up to special interests and George Bush.” He becomes the state’s 61st governor.

Baltimore City Council President Sheila Dixon takes over as mayor when O’Malley officially becomes governor in January. She said on November 8 that she will run for a full term in 2007.

On the national scene, mayors and former mayors were in the electoral mix from coast to coast.

In California, former Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown is the state’s new Attorney General, defeating Republican Chuck Poochigian 56.4 to 38.2 percent.

Brown, a former California governor (1974 to 1982), was elected mayor of Oakland in June 1998, and in 2002, was elected to a second term. He sought the Democratic 1992 Presidential nomination. Brown defeated Bill Clinton in Maine, Colorado, Vermont, Connecticut, Utah and Nevada during the 1992 Presidential primaries and was the only candidate other than Clinton to receive enough voter support to continue until the Democratic National Convention.

In New Jersey, former Union City Mayor Robert Menendez, appointed a Senator a year ago to fill the unexpired term of Senator Jon Corzine, who became Governor, was elected to a six-year Senate term. He beat Republican Thomas H. Kean, Jr., 53 to 45 percent.

California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, San Francisco’s mayor from 1978 to 1989, beat Republican Dick Mountjoy 60 to 35 percent.

Republican Indiana Senator Richard G. Lugar, Jr., had no opponent. He was mayor of Indianapolis from 1968 to 1975.

In Tennessee, former Chatanooga Mayor Bob Corker beat Congressman Harold E. Ford, Jr., to become the new Republican Senator. His vote margin was 51 to 48 percent. Corker was mayor of Chatanooga from 2001 to 2005.

In Vermont, Bernie Sanders, former Burlington mayor from 1981 to 1989 and an Independent Congressman won a Senate seat to replace Independent Senator James M. Jeffords.

In Arizona, former Tempe Mayor Harry Mitchell defeated Republican Congressman J.D. Hayworth 50 to 46 percent. Hayworth was first elected in 1994.

In Florida, Republican Congressman Clay Shaw, Jr., first elected in 1980, lost to Democratic State Senator Ron Klein 52 to 47 percent. Shaw was mayor of Fort Lauderdale from 1975 to 1981 before going to Congress.

Several former mayors in the U.S. Senate, with six-year terms, did not have to run in the November 7 elections.

They include New Mexico Republican Senator Pete V. Domenici, mayor of Albuquerque from 1967 to 1970; Oklahoma Republican Senator James M. Inhofe, mayor of Tulsa from 1978 to 1984; Wyoming Republican Senator Michael B. Enzi, mayor of Gillette (WY) from 1987 to 1992. Ohio Republican George V. Voinovich, mayor of Cleveland from 1979 to 1988 and a former Ohio Governor; and Minnesota Republican Senator Norm Coleman, mayor of St. Paul from 1994 to 2002.